Today in Indian History 6

Today in Indian History On this day, March 19th, in Indian history: 1937 - Chandra Shekhar Azad, an Indian revolutionary who played a key role in the Indian independence movement, was killed in a shootout with the British police in Alfred Park (now known as Chandrashekhar Azad Park) in Allahabad. 1965 - The Indian Parliament passed the National Service Act, which required all Indian citizens between the ages of 18 and 35 to undergo compulsory military training for a period of one to two years. 1987 - The first satellite-based Mobile Communication System (MCS) was commissioned by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), marking a major milestone in the development of telecommunications in India. 1990 - The famous Indian sitar player and composer Ravi Shankar was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, in recognition of his contributions to Indian classical music and cultural diplomacy. 2019 - The Indian Air Force conducted airstrikes against Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) training camps in Balakot, Pakistan in response to the Pulwama attack that killed 40 Indian soldiers. The airstrikes marked a significant escalation in tensions between India and Pakistan. 1945 - The British government announced the formation of the Indian Independence Committee, which was tasked with overseeing the transfer of power from British India to an independent India. 1957 - The first Indian-made diesel-electric locomotive was unveiled at the Chittaranjan Locomotive Works in West Bengal. The locomotive was named "Deshbandhu" in honor of Chittaranjan Das, an Indian nationalist leader. 1963 - The Indian state of Gujarat was formed, carving out the Gujarati-speaking areas of the former state of Bombay. 1975 - The Indian government declared a state of emergency, suspending civil liberties and arresting political opponents. The emergency lasted for 21 months and was lifted in 1977 after nationwide protests. 1991 - The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won the state elections in Uttar Pradesh, becoming the first party other than the Indian National Congress to win a majority in the state assembly. 2012 - India successfully test-fired its Agni-V ballistic missile, which has a range of over 5,000 km and is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. The test marked a significant milestone in India's missile technology development. 2014 - India's Supreme Court recognized transgender people as a "third gender" with equal rights and protections under the law. The landmark ruling was hailed as a major victory for India's LGBT community. 2016 - The Indian government launched the "Stand Up India" scheme, aimed at promoting entrepreneurship among women and marginalized communities by providing loans and other support for starting small businesses. 2017 - The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh ordered the closure of illegal slaughterhouses and meat shops in the state, sparking controversy and protests. The move was seen as an attempt to appease Hindu nationalist groups. 2018 - India's Minister of External Affairs, Sushma Swaraj, announced that India would grant medical visas to Pakistani patients seeking treatment in India. The move was seen as a gesture of goodwill between the two countries amidst heightened tensions. 2019 - The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) launched the EMISAT satellite, along with 28 other satellites from various countries, using the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) C45 rocket. The EMISAT satellite was designed for electronic intelligence gathering and was the first satellite to be launched under the Indian government's "Make in India" initiative.